Wrecker Identification Help needed

[Scar59]

Did you buy that wrecker yet? It has some hard to find goodies on it; bumper vise, mud spades, pulleys.
Soft top cab should be easy to source and repair. Save that thing.
JC

 

[CONFEDR8]

No. I only see it one day a week and this will be a deal a while in the making. I know it has tons of goodies. I might not know much about these trucks but considering everything is original and everything that could have been stolen is still there, that is a major plus for the wrecker.

 

[CONFEDR8]

Oh ya, I forgot I was able to get a picture of the hydraulic hoses to the crane pistons. There is 1 that is black and it doesn't have any cracks in it but the other three are white and all cracked (I am pretty sure that the white cracked hoses are A-OK to run ).

 

[gimpyrobb]

Gimpyrobb, I have no idea about the subject and this may sound stupid but how do you know that the piston needs repair? Recovry4x4, I know that, I wouldn't throw waste oil in the engine until I knew the engine both inside and out and know what it takes to run the waste oil. I was just kidding about throwing it in there.

The first 2 pics show that the Cyl isn't attached to the crane boom. That means something is needing attention.

 

[wreckerman893]

Those hoses look pretty buggered to me.

The last thing you want is to fill that big hydraulic tank full and blow a rotten hose and watch all that fluid pour out on the ground.

I estimated to replace all the hoses on the M816 would have cost me around 1200 bucks.

That vehicle has money pit written all over it but that never stopped me before.

 

[CONFEDR8]

Man, I didn't even realize that the cylinder weren't connected. Is that just a matter of shifting it around and sliding it on a pin or is that something major? I am going to bring a much better camera next time so I can get detailed pictures.

 

[CONFEDR8]

Wreckerman, was the estimate just for the hoses or to take it to a shop to replace them?

 

[porkysplace]

Wreckerman, was the estimate just for the hoses or to take it to a shop to replace them?

Most likely just the hoses .

 

[cattlerepairman]

The wrecker truck, new, cost far on the wrong side of 100k (and that was "then"). As many owners of used, expensive vehicles know, you can pick one up for reasonable money, but the maintenance and part replacement costs stay uncomfortably close in relation to the original purchase price....
All this to say, it is easy and not unusual when restoring an MV to invest more or several times more than the purchase price of the vehicle.

 

[Scar59]

The wrecker truck, new, cost far on the wrong side of 100k (and that was "then"). As many owners of used, expensive vehicles know, you can pick one up for reasonable money, but the maintenance and part replacement costs stay uncomfortably close in relation to the original purchase price....
All this to say, it is easy and not unusual when restoring an MV to invest more or several times more than the purchase price of the vehicle.

Can I get an Amen. Be prepared to invest alot of $$$ and time. However, when it is finished (correctly) it will be worth it.

 

[gimpyrobb]

Man, I didn't even realize that the cylinder weren't connected. Is that just a matter of shifting it around and sliding it on a pin or is that something major? I am going to bring a much better camera next time so I can get detailed pictures.

If its off, its something major. NO-ONE takes them off "just for fun". You better re-think not starting it up and trying things out.

 

[Jeepsinker]

I'm almost willing to bet that the packing in that cylinder started leaking or blew and they started taking it apart and then just left it where it sits.

 

[cattlerepairman]

Yup, only pressurizing the cylinder will show for sure. If you install a ball valve at the cylinder, power the cylinder out under load and then shut the valve - if the piston lowers, it leaks internally. Or you have a visible leak at the top where the packing is. If the ball valve is open and the cylinder loses pressure, then the check valve is bad.
Good news is that the check valve is available (even on a well known auction site) and good hydraulic shops can make packings for virtually all the wild and wonderful hydraulic rams out there.
I am sure that wrecker owners on the 5-ton forum can help you bunches on all these issues. Maybe the thread should be moved over?

 

[CONFEDR8]

Here guys, thanks for the help but like stated previously, let me get it first so I can legally disassemble it. Starting it up is something that I probably should do but before that, I need to get new batteries, remove the tree, give her diesel, and check the engine oil and either leave it or replace it.

 

[cattlerepairman]

Just make sure that you take video clips of the "before" (tree; showing the smashed cabin), the debris and rust - and when she starts on the first attempt! Awesome on YouTube!

 

[CONFEDR8]

Ya, and take pictures of the progress. I probably could take a video and post it here next time I look at it. Everyone throw a place of the wrecker they want to see. The stuff I will show are the crane, cab, chassis, engine, etc... All the basic normal stuff along with the hydraulic piston.

 

[CONFEDR8]

Hey guys, I was curious if I were to get the wrecker, could I figure out its history, what number it was given, and wether it was USMC or US Army? Has anyone done this before?

 

[wreckerman893]

Hey guys, I was curious if I were to get the wrecker, could I figure out its history, what number it was given, and wether it was USMC or US Army? Has anyone done this before?

Our resident expert is Carnac. You can send him the frame number and he can give you the history of the truck.

 

[gimpyrobb]

Our resident expert is Carnac. You can send him the frame number and he can give you the history of the truck.

Unless its USMC, he couldn't do the m109 for me.

 

[CONFEDR8]

Hey guys, I have been searching for the camo pattern that the wrecker has and I have found a pic of an M62 that has a similar pattern and color. Does anyone know what the camo pattern and colors are on this m62 wrecker? http://militarymashup.com/mmu_get_jpeg.php?0b5f15f670824803cd933719920ebe814 Does anyone know what the M543 wrecker's pattern and color are just from the pictures?